Friendship
by jojjohannis
Summary: Post 10x24 Dammed if you do. Tiva (and a little McGee) the evening after they quit.


**My first story here. I'm not a native English speaker so don't be to harsh on me :-) Hope you enjoy it!**

Ziva stood in the middle of the bullpen watching one of the last persons leave for the night. She gave the man a small smile and walked back to her desk. Well, actually it wasn't her desk anymore.

Ziva could still not understand what had happened a few hours ago but she knew that this was the last time in a long time she would walk to the elevator on her way home. The last time she would glance around the bullpen and enjoy the buzz of agents talking and computers beeping. She would miss it.

Ziva grabbed the box full of her belongings and then slowly walked out.

* * *

The door to her apartment was hard to unlock while carrying a giant box but after a couple of minutes she could enter the complete darkness in her home. Flicking the light switch she saw the mess she had left this morning and sighed tiredly.

Putting the box away she started to clean up and soon everything in the kitchen and living room was on the right place again. Ziva sank down in the sofa and flipped through all tv channels but nothing looked even the slightest bit amusing.

How could she be bored after less than a day of unemployment?

Just when she was ready to actually just go to bed her phone buzzed in her pocket. Without even thinking she answered.

"Agent David"

"You know you're not Agent David anymore, right?" said a very familiar voice in a teasing tone.

No, she wasn't anymore. She hadn't thought about it until now, but suddenly she felt weird, her head spinning. She did it for Gibbs and that's all that mattered she convinced herself.

"What is it Tony?" she sighed, probably harsher than she intended to.

"Sorry, way too early to joke about. I was just wondering if you wanted to go out to some bar with me and McGee tonight? I know you hate when we forget to ask you" Tony babbled on the other side of the phone.

"I don't feel very well so I'll jump this one out" Ziva said and suddenly felt how tired she really was.

"It's sit Ziva" Tony said teasingly. "We've to do it another time then" and Ziva could hear his disappointment.

"Yes, another time Tony. Bye." She hang up quickly trying to make the fluttering in her stomach stop. She was going to miss seeing Tony everyday and she already regretted her decision about tonight.

She thought about calling Tony and say that she changed her mind. Her thumb hovered over the 'call' button but instead she turned her phone off and went in to the bedroom. Maybe a good night of sleep was all she needed.

* * *

11.30 pm there was a knock on Ziva's door. She startled in her bed reaching for the gun under her fluffy pillow. On her tip toes she walked out from her bedroom and looked through the peephole. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth at the sight in front of her.

Tony was knocking at the door again and then there was McGee who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here at this moment. Tony was holding a tight grip on McGee's jacket and he had no other choice than stay.

"Missed me so much you could not enjoy a night out without me?"

Ziva swung the door open and caught Tony and McGee off guard. Tony recovered first and looked her up and down, from her curly bed head to her naked feet. Ziva felt a blush creep up her neck and hopefully Tony wouldn't notice in the dull light.

"So you told the truth when you said you were sick"

Ziva smacked Tony on the top of his head for that but she couldn't hide the smile appearing in her face when he watched her intensely with that 'I'm sorry but really I'm not' face.

They gazed at each other smiling and the butterflies in Ziva's tummy reappeared. She felt tingly, like she'd felt the entire year when she was in Tony's company.

Suddenly McGee cleared his throat glancing between his two coworkers. The moment was broken.

"I'm gonna go home and sleep now I think" he murmured and turned around.

"No you are not" Ziva stepped in front if him with crossed arms. She glared at him.

"Did you come here to just wake me up? Are you just going to leave now"

McGee didn't even answer. He just followed her and Tony in to the apartment and closed the door behind him.

They ended up on her living room floor talking about Gibbs and memories from their time as coworkers. They promised each other to meet up at least one day each week and Ziva felt relief over the fact that she would still see her best friends every week.

Hours passed and soon McGee had fallen asleep on the floor with a empty glass of wine next to him.

Tony snapped a picture of McGee and dangled his phone in front of Ziva.

"Now I can do a little blackmailing on Monday" he whispered. Just seconds later he realised what he had said and looked at Ziva.

"We're not going to work together on Monday" he said, mostly to himself. Ziva just nodded quietly intertwining their fingers on his tigh.

"I am going to hate not talking to you and not seeing you every day"

Ziva didn't look at him while talking so Tony squeezed her hand and tilted her head so he could look her in the eyes.

"I'm gonna miss you too."

He swept his finger over her cheek. Letting it linger a little too long. Ziva blinked slowly and tried to remember how to breath. In that moment something changed between them.

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth and shut it again. She wasn't sure what to say, but this was her chance.

"I, Ehm, about, you know when I stormed out from Gibbs, I really didn't get to say all I wanted to say"

Tony watched her carefully and tried to read her. Ziva didn't give anything away so he kept quiet.

"I am, I just want you to understand that our friendship is the most important thing in my life right now and..."

She wasn't sure if this was their moment or if she was brave enough. The disappointment clouding Tony's eyes when she used the word 'friendship' was enough for her to get words out though.

"and I am afraid to ruin it, but I want more than just friendship"

Everything just stopped. It felt like time stood still, like the earth stopped turning. Ziva's eyes were drawn to Tony who was trying really hard to wrap his mind around what just happened.

It felt like eternity before he said anything and Ziva actually became a little nervous.

"You're sure Ziva?" he finally asked a little uncertain.

"Yes, I'am, yes"

After that she didn't know what happened. One moment he was sitting next to her holding her hand and the next he was cupping her face gazing into her eyes. She was buzzing, all tingly and the butterflies in her stomach were flapping their wings very fast.

Slowly Tony in leant in, so close their mouths nearly touched. Ziva craved his mouth, craved to wrap her arms tightly around him. How could she ever have doubted this.

She leaned in the last short distance and captured his soft lips with her own. The kiss was slow and tender. Full of love and hope of thousands of kisses to come. A wonderful feeling was growing inside her and suddenly her mouth turned upward to a beautiful smile.

She wrapped her arms around his neck to get closer. His body was pressed against her but it wasn't close enough. Tony's hands moved around to her waist as the kiss deepened.

"Do you know for how long I've wanted to do this?" Tony whispered breathlessly while leaning back a bit to look into Ziva's eyes. She shook her head and her smile grew even more.

"For a very, very long time" Tony whispered in between small, tender kisses. His smile now matching Ziva's.

"Yes? Me too, Tony"

A awkward coughing interrupted them and they jumped a part.

"I'm really going home now and I'll see you in a week"

McGee backed out of the room with a teasing smile on his lips. No one answered him. Ziva hid her face in the crook of Tony's neck. Tony kissed her hair for a moment before kissing her playfully on the mouth.

"I love you"


End file.
